Record-breaking receiver Kelvin McKnight flying under the radar

It’s not often that a record-breaking receiver flies under the radar, but that’s exactly where Samford University’s Kelvin McKnight finds himself as he prepares for the 2019 NFL Draft.

After a four-year college career in which he amassed 294 receptions for 3,928 yards and 29 touchdowns, the 5-foot-8, 186 pound receiver has aspirations to compete at the next level.

Kelvin and I recently spoke about his breakout game against Florida State, his domination at the Division I (FCS) level, who he compares his game to, what he can bring to an NFL team and more:

AD: Tell me a little bit about how you got into football?

KM: Growing up in Sarasota, FL, football has always been my heart. My dad really introduced me to football, he taught me everything I know. Also, growing up and watching my older cousin, Ace Sanders, play. I used to always go up to the gate and watch him play. He really influenced me to play wide receiver.

AD: What prompted you to choose to attend Samford University?

KM: Crazy story. The University of Maryland had a commit like a week before I tried to commit, and they ended up not having any more money for me. USF (University of South Florida), I was like their second choice, if they didn’t get the commit they wanted, then I’d be able to commit. I didn’t want to be anyone’s second choice, so I didn’t go there. FIU (Florida International University), I just wasn’t feeling their offense, I didn’t see myself playing there. Appalachian State and University of Buffalo were just too cold for a Florida boy.

Samford didn’t treat me like another recruit. They told me that I would come in and make an impact immediately. They showed that they need me, and it felt like home, felt like family when I was there. That’s what really made me go there.

AD: Take me through your monster game against Florida State earlier this season.

KM: Man, pulling up at the stadium, it was already packed out. I was thinking about that game like two years ago, when I found out they were on the schedule. It was really exciting, just being out there — seeing that chop — and like I always see it on TV, but being out there and experiencing it on the field was surreal.

Coach let me draw up the first play that week, and he called it ‘Spear’, because he knew I was from Florida. He knew me being back, that’s like the closest home game I’ve ever had. Me being back home with all my family, he was going to let me touch it first. We went up top and scored on the first play. That was just exciting.

I can’t really tell you how that felt when I caught it. It didn’t hit me until I hit the sideline, like ‘damn, I really did that.’ I was just out there having fun.

AD: You played with quarterback Devlin Hodges for all four years and put up some crazy numbers together. Talk a little bit about that connection.

KM: Our connection was surreal, we’re always on the same page. If I see something, in my head, I just know, ‘shoot, we need to run a different route,’ and he’s already on the same page. He can make any throw, I can tell you that right now. That man can make any throw.

We always worked on our timing in the summer. We really worked hard in the summer — some routes that aren’t in the playbook, coach let us do our own thing, because we were seniors and we’d been doing that for a long time.

AD: You hold Samford’s receiving, reception and touchdown record. What does that mean to you?

KM: I played with (former Samford receiver) Karel Hamilton my sophomore year, when he broke all of the school records in receiving, receptions and touchdown records. I remember during the season, when he was breaking them, I told him ‘My senior year, I’m gonna break all of them.’

When I broke his records, he called me — he was proud. It was really exciting. I wasn’t thinking about it during the season, but obviously it was one of my goals. I just let all of that take care of itself.

AD: Who would you compare your game to?

KM: I would say Steve Smith. Watching him growing up, he had a chip on his shoulder. He won his one-on-one matchups, and he could make a difference. Him being 5-9 and being out wide, he really made a difference out there, making every catch like he was 6-4.

Today, it would be A.B. (Antonio Brown). He’s a pure route runner, that’s what I look at myself as.

AD: What can Kelvin McKnight bring to an NFL team?

KM: I’m a guy that even though I’m short, you can’t just label me as a slot guy. I’m a receiver that can play all spots. I can run every route tree in the book, and I’m also a guy that you can put in the backfield to create a mismatch. I can be an immediate contributor in the return game as well, kickoff return and especially punt return. Punt return is my favorite.

I’m gonna win my one-on-one matchups, I just feel like no one’s gonna cover me one-on-one. I feel in the NFL today, that’s what it’s all about: you have to win your one-on-one matchups. That’s what makes a good team, individuals winning their one-on-one matchups.

AD: Have you had any mentors that helped you get to this point in your career?

KM: Of course: coach Larry Ryans and my cousin, Ace Sanders.

I watched Ace growing up, I remember being there on the fence, watching him in little league and high school. I’ve really seen him in all the stages: from high school, to college, to NFL. I always ask him questions, he always gives me feedback. He’ll text me after the game of what he saw. He was at that Florida State game, he came up — he was so happy for me.

Coach Larry Ryans, he’s the type who will tell me everything I’m doing wrong. He’ll text me during halftime, I’m not usually on my phone, but if I am it’s because of him. I’ll take a quick peek, and he’ll tell me what’s going on, what I’m doing wrong. He helped me transition my game from high school to college in a tremendous way.

AD: With the draft right around the corner, what will your preparation be like?

KM: Really, I’m just going to wait until that day comes. The numbers that I put up, that I set for myself, I’m going to train so that I can hit them. Right now, I’m not going to focus on my results, I’m just going to focus on this process and journey. I can’t focus on the results without putting any work in, so I’m just taking it one day at a time. I’m really not trying to focus on that day, I’m just trying to focus on today, so I can be better than yesterday.

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